


Why Is Your Counter Broken?

by MysticMusic



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Allison isn't a bitch in this, Creature Stiles Stilinski, Good Friend Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Good Peter, He's a cupid, I didn't put much effort into this, I'm rusty with tags now, It's been a while, M/M, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Stiles Stilinski as Cupid, This wasn't as good as i wanted it to be and it makes me sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 21:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20495921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticMusic/pseuds/MysticMusic
Summary: All humans had a counter above their heads that was only visible to cupids or other gods if they really wanted to. Cupids called it the love counter. It was a list of other people on the Earth that said person was destined to be with in order of compatibility and fate. If there was a twist of fate and they couldn’t have their number one because their number one died or has a different person as their number one (it happens, but rarely) they get number two and so on.---“Why is your counter broken?” Only Scott understood what he was talking about. Stiles was livid that Peter’s counter was broken.He turned to Scott, “Scott, it’s been broken for so long. Why is it broken.”“Stiles, I thought you didn’t want anyone to know about this,” Scott said warily.Every eye in the room was on him, “I can’t help it, Scott. It’s driving me feral,” he started to walk in a circle, pulling at his hair. Stopping, suddenly, he turned to Peter who was watching him curiously, “Why can’t you be happy? Everyone else has counters. I gave them the push and now they’re happy. What’s so different about you?”---Or, the one where Stiles is a cupid.





	Why Is Your Counter Broken?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! It's been so long since I've written something and I didn't write this just now. I found it on my computer. My writing skills are honestly really rusty so if I tried to write something right now it wouldn't be very good, but I really want to get back into writing so I might try. Thanks for giving it a shot people. I appreciate it.

When Stiles was born he knew exactly who he was and what it was that he did. He was cupid. One of the many cupids anyway. A bringer of love. One of the Fates had made him this way. A cupid in a human body with only the bare minimum of access to his abilities. What the hell had he done to deserve this? The only thing she had said to him was, “It’s your turn, little cupid.”

What the hell was that supposed to mean? At first he was angry that she would do this to him without so much as a decent explanation, but he realized that the life span of a human was nothing in comparison to his own. He would do whatever Clotho desired he do in his lifespan and then he’ll be done with it.

That’s what he thought at the time anyways. 

Stiles tried not to get attached to his human family, he really did, but he couldn’t help himself. He learned to love them in a way that the Cupids did not deal with. Platonic love was a little bit out of his comfort zone, but he could deal. He likes a challenge. Whatever Clotho decided to put him here for better be worth it.

When Stiles was four he made a friend. His friend’s name was Scott McCall. Stiles doesn’t think he’s ever seen anyone, human or other, that is as sweet as this boy. Another platonic love. He told the boy to call him Stiles instead of his given name, Mieczyslaw. He told everyone to call him Stiles after that. It was his name after all. His excuse was that it was easier to pronounce.

All humans had a counter above their heads that was only visible to cupids or other gods if they really wanted to. Cupids called it the love counter. It was a list of other people on the Earth that said person was destined to be with in order of compatibility and fate. If there was a twist of fate and they couldn’t have their number one because their number one died or has a different person as their number one (it happens, but rarely) they get number two and so on. 

He decided to tell Scott about what he was. The boy only believed him when he set up their first grade teacher with her requited number one. Stiles made sure that his friend knew not to tell anyone what he was. It was their secret. All it took was a little magic to send them in the right direction. The so called “love at first sight” deal is a real thing. It’s the push from a cupid. 

Scott’s number one was a girl named Allison Argent. He refused to tell Scott about his number one no matter how much the boy asked. It’d happen in time. Scott’s parents weren’t set up by a cupid, he could tell. They weren’t a good combination, unlike Stiles’ parents. He never mentioned it to Scott though. He also made a point to ignore the fact that Melissa’s number one was John Stilinski. 

When Stiles was eight his mom died and he grieved rather extensively. He had never felt pain like that before, but he knew, deep down, that if Scott or his dad died, he would feel the same pain all over again. He’d never let that happen. His dad’s number’s number two now hung above his head as an eerie reminder that his number one was gone. It always hurts the most to lose your number one. He wouldn’t wish the pain on anyone. His dad’s number two did catch him by surprise, however, as it was none other than Melissa McCall. Thinking of Scott as his brother by choice suddenly made more sense. John Stilinski needed more time to grieve. though. They’d be together eventually in time. 

Stiles met a strange girl that year. Her name was Lydia Martin. She wasn’t totally human. A sickly death aura radiated from her. It was bittersweet. One day she’d be a banshee. That wasn’t the point though. The love counter above her head was seemingly broken. It was blank. Stiles had never seen a love counter do that before. He told Scott about it and the boy tried to help him figure it out. Eventually everyone, including the girl herself, thought Stiles was madly in love with her from his attempts at figuring out what was wrong with her counter. He didn’t bother setting them straight. It didn’t matter. Cupids weren’t meant to have someone of their own. 

A couple months later a boy moved to town named Jackson Whittemore. That same day Lydia’s counter fixed itself and her number one was the boy. Good thing it did too. The broken counter awakened something feral inside of him. When it fixed itself it was like he could breathe normally again. He never mentioned that particular detail to Scott. Stiles made a point to never give the elementary kids the push. They weren’t ready yet. Soon.

When Stiles was sixteen, his best friend and adoptive brother became a werewolf and met his number one the next day. He gave them the push. They were old enough to be ready. Scott had asked Stiles if it was the one. He had given Scott his answer in the form of a sly smile.

Then they met Derek Hale. He had yelled something at them along the lines of ‘Get off my property’, but Stiles eyes were drawn to his counter. It was on the number two. Scott, of course, was a dick to him because he didn’t trust him. Stiles could tell Derek wasn’t the one that bit Scott. They were arguing.

“Scott,” Stiles said silently, looking down. The two idiots heads both snapped towards him, “He wasn’t the one that bit you. Stop being a dick to him dude, his number one is gone.”

Stiles had told Scott the pain of losing a number one was greater than almost anything. Derek looked confused as Scott instantly subdued, looking guilty.

Derek’s eyebrows furrowed, “What’s going on?”

“Don’t worry about it. Tell us if you need help finding the Alpha. Come on Scotty,” Stiles waved his friend over who followed. He loved Scott. 

The Alpha ended up being Peter Hale, but of course that couldn’t be the only issue. Peter’s love counter was broken. Stiles couldn’t help, but be curious. That’s the second one in his only short human lifetime. 

But the man died. Stiles could only deem it a fluke in the system. He was gone and Stiles wouldn’t have to deal with it.

Derek’s number two made his appearance after that. The boy was named Isaac Lahey and he was one of Derek’s betas. Stiles gave them the push. It was kind of adorable. Stiles liked them together. Derek’s other two betas were also meant to be together. They were each other’s number ones. Stiles made it happen.

Of course, Peter Hale came back. His counter was still broken. Stiles tried to avoid him after that, but it was kind of hard. He actually liked the man. He doesn’t actually blame him for anything. Peter hurt Lydia, yeah, but he unintentionally helped her unlock her banshee powers. Stiles could understand why he killed Laura. She had abandoned him where any hunter could easily kill him. It wasn’t right and the insanity drove him to use his wolf’s instincts. He bit Scott, but Stiles could understand that too. He was a lone Alpha that needed pack badly. It had to happen to someone.

Peter went on a murder spree for people that deserved it. If someone had killed Scott or his dad, Stiles would have ripped them apart, insanity or no. It doesn’t help that Peter gave Stiles a choice. He respected Stiles decision when he said he didn’t want the bite. 

Yes, Stiles liked Peter Hale. 

It was about a year later at a pack meeting that things went south. Everything was going good. Derek and Scott were separate Alphas. Their packs were sort of not together, but they really were. It was like there were two alphas in one pack. It wasn’t really an issue. It probably should have been, but they made it work. Danny and Ethan had gotten the push as well as Cora and Kira. Everyone was happy. Everyone except Peter Hale.

Everyone had been lounging around and talking while Stiles had been watching Peter. Watching the counter above his head that was seemingly broken. The man had been watching him right back.

Something in Stiles snapped. That stupid counter was infesting itself in his head. It was broken. He couldn’t take it.

Stiles growled. It was a sound no human could ever make. The room went silent, shocked. Stiles got up and off the couch, every eye in the room on him. He walked towards Peter with the air of something that had lived for thousands of years, no longer playing the part of the scrawny human. Peter cocked a brow at him, but leaned forward. The man didn’t see danger, Stiles knew. He saw knowledge and wanted it. 

“Why is your counter broken?” Only Scott understood what he was talking about. Stiles was livid that Peter’s counter was broken. 

He turned to Scott, “Scott, it’s been broken for so long. Why is it broken.” 

“Stiles, I thought you didn’t want anyone to know about this,” Scott said warily.

Every eye in the room was on him, “I can’t help it, Scott. It’s driving me feral,” he started to walk in a circle, pulling at his hair. Stopping, suddenly, he turned to Peter who was watching him curiously, “Why can’t you be happy? Everyone else has counters. I gave them the push and now they’re happy. What’s so different about you?” Stiles was getting frantic.

“Stiles, calm down,” Scott pleaded, apparently he had walked over to Stiles at some point because a hand clasped his shoulder, “Maybe Peter’s counter was taken away.”

Stiles knew the implications of that, he turned, enraged, “Scott,  _ Deucalion  _ had a counter.  _ Kate Argent _ had a counter. Hell, even  _ Gerard  _ had a counter,” several people flinched at the names, but stayed quiet, “Why shouldn’t he have one? I’ve seen worse people who had counters.  _ Hitler  _ had a counter Scott,” Stiles exclaimed, waving his hands in the air, “People don’t just not have counters. It doesn’t work like that.”

“Stiles, breathe,” Scott was holding him. Scott was safe. He slumped and breathed, obediently, “Better?”

Stiles nodded, before pulling himself upright. Peter needed a counter. If he didn’t get one, Stiles was going to go feral. It doesn’t make any sense. His gaze turned to the rest of the room. Everyone was looking at him worriedly. He looked back at Peter and felt his teeth grind before quickly looking away. 

“If I may ask, what that was?” Peter asked curiously.

Stiles scowled, but sat back down on the couch. Scott gave him a look, silently asking if he should tell their secret. Stiles nodded before leaning his head back, closing his eyes, and listening.

“Stiles is a cupid,” The room stayed silent. He doubted any of them would believe Scott, but he could try.

“You mean like, diapers and bow and arrows cupid?” Erica asked.

Stiles laughed, eyes still closed. His laugh turned into a wheeze, “Well, I’m pretty good with a bow, since that’s how we did it originally, but I’m sorry to say the diapers part is a myth. A little bit harder to shoot people in modern times.”

He heard it before it hit him. His senses are almost as good as the wolves’. His hand reached out and caught the object before it hit him, eyes still closed. One eye snapped open slightly to look at what was thrown at him, “Allison’s crossbow?” he cocked an eyebrow, “Seriously?” They all seemed perfectly serious, so he shrugged and said, “Alright. What do you want me to hit?”

Allison held up a tennis ball that Stiles had absolutely no idea where she found, “Shoot this midair.”

She promptly threw the ball as hard as she could in the direction of the other side of the loft. Stiles didn’t even bat an eye before shooting. The arrow pierced the ball directly through the middle and embedded itself in the wall. He turned to her slack jawed face and smirked, “I’m a cupid, sweetie. I can hit anything with a projectile.”

Woah. Where the hell did that come from? He shook his head and frowned, “Sorry. It’s getting worse,” he shrugged.

“It’s fine,” Allison responded, seemingly a little bewildered.

“Does this have anything to do with that thing you were talking about when I first met you?” Derek asked, face carefully blank.

Stiles’ head snapped to Derek with a pained expression and explained counters.

Stiles could see the moment that Derek understood. His face morphed into something darker and Isaac went to comfort him.

“So I don’t have a counter?” Peter asked. He didn’t sound particularly upset by this new development, but Stiles could tell it was fake. 

Stiles refused to look at him, “It’s not that you don’t have one. It’s just like, I can’t see under the number one spot and the number one spot is blank.” It’s kind of hard to describe to someone.

“Do you have a counter, Stiles?” Peter countered, leaning forward, elbows on his knees from his permanent spot on the stairs.

His gaze remained on his hands, “I’m not meant to partake in love.”

_ Wrong _

Stiles froze. It sounded like Clotho, but no one else seemed to hear it as he looked around frantically.

_ Remember what I told you.  _

What did she tell him again? Huh.

Ignoring his frantic actions Lydia asked, “I thought you were in love with me since the third grade?”

Stiles shook his head, “No. I was just curious about your counter because it was --,” he cut off, eyes wide.

“ _ Broken _ ,” he whispered.

Her counter had been broken. Like Peter’s, but her counter fixed itself while Peter’s remained broken. Maybe they weren’t broken.

Clothos words came back to Stiles,  _ It’s your turn, little cupid. _

Oh.

That makes sense.

The moment he realized it was the moment he gained his full power back, almost in silent confirmation. Clotho was a piece of work. Stiles started to shake with laughter. It went on for a while and when he opened his eyes more than one person was looking at him with worry, including Peter. When the man noticed him looking his face changed into one of disinterest.

Stiles threw him a smile with way too many teeth. It was definitely a predator’s smile, but in that moment Stiles didn’t care. One second Stiles was on the couch, the next he was in front of Peter. He grabbed the very surprised man by his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. It was like electricity was flowing as Peter immediately relaxed and returned it.

When Stiles pulled back he was panting slightly and Peter wasn’t much better. The man’s lips were swollen and red, eyes glowing.

He looked up at Peter’s counter and saw that it was no longer broken. It just said Stiles. He hummed before murmuring, “Clotho, you are such a bitch for this.”

His vision blurred.

Suddenly, he was in the white hall. The room of the nogitsune. 

He swore he could hear her laugh ringing in his ears.

It was confirmed when he heard a whispered,  _ He’s your mate. The girl was just a clue.  _

Anger filled his veins, “Why give me this if I couldn’t keep it forever? And I mean all of it, Clotho,” he hissed, “That includes the little family, I adopted for myself.”

_ I’m giving you a choice. You can either keep your power and eventually outlive them all. _

She paused.

_ Or you can go as you were before. Half human - half cupid with minimal power and die with them. You’ll find him in the next life and every life after. The man with the broken counter. _

But how could that work? Peter was so much older than he was. Imagining the pain of losing Peter to old age made Stiles feel sick to his stomach. Originally he didn’t even want to grow attached to all of the people he now thinks of as family, but now the entire game has changed. He couldn’t lose Peter and harbor the grief like when he lost his mother.

He looked around frantically before speaking, “Make Peter my age with documented records of his existence as an eighteen year old.  _ Please _ , Clotho. I wouldn’t be able to take losing my number one, so early,” he pleaded, eyes wide.

_ I suppose, that’s doable. If you choose the second option, you’ll go back to live with Peter Hale Jr, sibling to Derek Hale and Cora Hale. It’ll be as if he grew up that way on every database on the planet. New student in his senior year of High School at Beacon Hills High with a driver’s license, an ID, and an apartment downtown. Peter Hale would have been proclaimed dead in the fire. Your little adoptive family won’t remember him that way though. _

That’s actually a really good deal for Clotho, “I accept the second option.”

No sooner had he said it, that he was back in the loft, dizzy as hell, and holy shit was the floor getting closer? He groaned as someone caught him. Looking up, he saw a very hot young male staring at him with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow.

Derek’s voice sounded like yelling, but Stiles didn’t think he was actually yelling, or maybe he was, “What the hell is this?”

Stiles groaned, rubbing his temples, “Stop being so  _ loud. _ I feel like I have a hangover,” he looked to see everyone staring with shocked expressions, “Meet your new brother, Peter Hale Jr,” he waved his arms at Peter in emphasis before wrapping them around the man in a koala-esque hug, digging his face in the man’s shirt, and promptly closing his eyes.

Peter smelled really good. Why had he never noticed this? The man started shaking and Stiles looked up in alarm only to see him laughing. Oh. That was okay. He shoved his face back in Peter’s shirt.

Derek sounded like he was choking, “ _ Brother?” _

Stiles groaned and took his face out of Peter’s shirt to glare daggers at Derek who in turn promptly recoiled slightly. He sighed and began explaining everything that happened with Clotho, all the while keeping his face buried in Peter’s shirt. They’d get used to it.

When he finished, the room was silent until, of course, Peter broke it.

“It’ll probably be very nice having an eighteen year old’s recovery time again.”

Stiles burst out laughing at the horrified looks on everyone’s faces.

They’d be okay. All of them would, and to be completely honest Stiles was excited for this new chapter in his life, he was excited to spend it with Peter, and he was very grateful that it was his turn now. He may be back to a fraction of his power, but it was all worth it to finally find his own number one.

He chuckled as he pushed his face back into Peter’s chest before murmuring a quick, “Thank you, Clotho.”

He swore he could still hear her laugh.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this kinda sucked I wish I could have made it longer, but i left it kinda unfinished and never posted it. It's been nagging me though and I always wanted to finish it and post it, but i lost any writing skill that I had over time and now I kinda suck. I'm really unhappy with how short this was, but I don't have the skill right now to finish it and I really wanted to get it posted. I hope you guys like it anyways because I really did like the concept of it.


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